The Pemon language (or ''Pemón'' in Spanish), is an

indigenous language An indigenous language, or autochthonous language, is a language that is native to a region and spoken by indigenous peoples. This language is from a linguistically distinct community that originated in the area. Indigenous languages are not neces ...

of the Cariban family spoken by some 30,000

Pemon The Pemon or Pemón (Pemong) are indigenous people living in areas of Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana.See pp.112,113 and 178 of ''Venezuela: the Pemon'', in ''Condé Nast Traveler'', December 2008. They are also known as Arecuna, Aricuna Jaricuna, ...

people, in

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

's Southeast, particularly in the

Canaima National Park Canaima National Park ( es, Parque Nacional Canaima) is a park in south-eastern Venezuela that roughly occupies the same area as the Gran Sabana region. It is located in Bolívar State, reaching the borders with Brazil and Guyana. History Ca ...

, in the

Roraima Roraima (, ) is one of the 26 states of Brazil. Located in the country's North Region, it is the northernmost and most geographically and logistically isolated state in Brazil. It is bordered by the state of Pará to the southeast, Amazonas ...

State of Brazil and in

Guyana Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...

. It covers several dialects, including ''Arecuna'' (or ''Arekuna''), ''Camaracota'', ''Camaracoto'', ''Ingariko'' (or ''

Ingarikó Ingarikó (Ingaricó) or Kapon is a term that collectively refers to three closely related tribes of indigenous people of South America, living in areas of Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana. Linguistically, the three groups fall within the Cariban langu ...

''), ''Taulipang'', and ''Taurepan'' (''Camaracoto'' may be a distinct language). The Pemon language may also be known and designated informally by one of the two dialects ''Arecuna'' (or ''Arekuna'') or ''Ingariko'' (or ''Ingarikó''), or incorrectly under the name ''Kapon'' which normally designates another closely related small group of languages. Pemon is one of several other closely related Venezuelan Cariban languages which also include the

Macushi The Macushi ( pt, Macuxi) are an indigenous people living in the borderlands of southern Guyana, northern Brazil in the state of Roraima, and in an eastern part of Venezuela. Identification The Macushi are also known as the Macusi, Macussi, Ma ...

and Kapon (or ''Kapong'', also sometimes used by natives to name the Pemon language itself, even if Kapon strictly covers only the two Akawaio and

Patamona The Patamona are an Amerindian people native to the Pakaraima Mountains of Guyana and northern Brazil.Patamon ...

languages). These four languages (including Macushi) form the group of Pemongan (or ''Pemóng'') languages. The broad ''Kapon'' (or ''Kapong'') and selective ''Ingariko'' (or ''Ingarikó'') terms are also used locally as a common ethnonym grouping Pemón, Akawaio, and Patamono peoples (and sometimes as well the Macushi people), and may be used as well to refer to the group of the four Pemongan (or ''Pemóng'') languages that they speak.

Typology

The Pemon language's syntax type is SOV with alternation to OVS.

Writing

Pemon was an oral language until the 20th century. Then efforts were made to produce dictionaries and grammars, primarily by Catholic missionaries, specially Armellada and Gutiérrez Salazar. The Latin alphabet has been used, adding diacritic signs to represent some phonemes not existing in Spanish.

Phonology

Vowels

Arekuna Pemon has the following vowels: There are still texts only using Spanish characters, without distinguishing between pairs such as /o/ and /ɤ/. Diphthong sounds are .

Consonants

Allophones of /s n k j/ are ʃ ŋ ʔ ʎ

Grammar

Pronouns in Pemon are:

References

External links

Introducción al pemón (Spanish)

Literature

* * Gutiérrez Salazar, Msr Mariano: ''Gramática Didáctica de la Lengua Pemón''. Caracas 2001. . * De Armellada, Fray Cesáreo y Olza, Jesús,s.j.: ''Gramática de la lengua pemón (morfosintaxis)'' (1999) Caracas, Publicaciones Ucab, Vicariato Apostólico del Caroní y Universidad Católica del Táchira. 289 pages. {{DEFAULTSORT:Pemon Language Languages of Venezuela Indigenous topics of the Guianas Indigenous languages of the South American Northwest br:Pemoneg is:Pemón qu:Pemon simi